5 Ways Soda Can Make Your Food Pop

Flickr photo by thebittenword.comSoda just isn't for sipping. It can be a great addition to many traditional foods and gives them a little something-something extra to keep taste buds popping with flavor.

Here are a few of my favorite soda recipes (or pop recipes if you're so inclined to use that term instead):

Coca-Cola Cupcakes I'm picky when it comes to my cupcakes, so I was a little skeptical about tainting their simple goodness with cola. But after tasting them, well, I'd like to buy the world a Coke so everyone could make their own delicious cupcakes. The Coke really complements the chocolate, and they're divine!

Dr. Pepper Barbecue Sauce The grills are going at this time of year, and the perfect barbecue sauce is a must. This version that uses Dr. Pepper packs a great sweet-and-sour pow and is perfect for slathering on chicken, beef, pork ... anything that hits your grill, really.

Roasted Soda Can Chicken In the same vein as Beer Butt chicken, this recipe instead calls for a can of lemon-lime soda (like Sprite or 7-Up) to stuff up the bird's derriere. The nice citrusy infusion turns out some pretty tasty chicken, and the whole meal is like one big party trick.